Kurt Shintaku's Blog

Wanna take a tour of the upcoming Windows 8 user interface?
(Yes, it’s officially codenamed “Windows 8”)

Here’s some press content about the new user interface and what has been demonstrated and announced:

• As showcased at All Things Digital D9 by Microsoft President, Steven Sinofsky:
  http://allthingsd.com/20110601/up-next-at-d9-microsoft-windows-president-steven-sinofsky-live-at-d9/
• Microsoft’s Press Release on Windows 8:
  http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2011/jun11/06-01corporatenews.aspx

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2012 Beta 1 rides the next wave of System Center releases with support for System Center Configuration Manager 2012.

For Lite Touch installations, MDT 2012 improves the overall client-side user experience, while also providing behind-the-scenes enhancements for partitioning, UEFI, and user state migration.

These features, combined with many small enhancements, bug fixes, and a smooth and simple upgrade process, make MDT 2012 Beta 1 more reliable and flexible than ever.

• Download the beta materials on Connect:
  https://connect.microsoft.com/site14/Downloads/DownloadDetails.aspx?DownloadID=8689

Key Benefits:

• Fully leverages the capabilities provided by System Center Configuration Manager 2012 for OS deployment.
• Improved Lite Touch user experience and functionality.
• A smooth and simple upgrade process for all existing MDT users.

Tell us what you think!
We value your input. Download the beta on Connect and tell us what you think!Please submit your feedback through Connect and direct any support questions you may have tosatfdbk@microsoft.com.

Availability
This program is now open. The beta review period will run through August 2011.

Tell your friends
To join the beta review program for Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2012, visit Microsoft Connect:
https://connect.microsoft.com/site14

Learn more

• Visit the MDT home page:http://www.microsoft.com/MDT
• Get the latest news straight from the MDT team:http://blogs.technet.com/mniehaus/
• MDT works with the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit and Security Compliance Manager to help you plan, securely deploy, and manage new Microsoft technologies—easier, faster, and at less cost. Learn more at http://www.microsoft.com/solutionaccelerators.

Designed to help reduce the cost and complexity of data compliance, the Data Classification Toolkit for Windows Server 2008 R2 helps organizations consistently identify, classify, and protect data across multiple file servers.

Using out-of-the-box classification knowledge, this toolkit gives organizations visibility into how data is distributed across their organizations to help them apply the right policies, protect critical data, and identify potential data storage efficiencies.

• Download the beta materials on Connect:
  http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=217117

Tell us what you think!
We value your input. Download the beta on Connect and tell us what you think!Please submit your feedback through Connect and direct any support questions you may have tosecwish@microsoft.com.

Availability
This program is now open. The beta review period will run through June 29, 2011. Beyond June, we will continue to accept your feedback until the beta is available. The feedback received after June will be considered for future releases.

Tell your friends
To join the Beta Program for the Data Classification Toolkit for Windows Server 2008 R2, visit Microsoft Connect:http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=217117

Learn more

• Visit the Data Classification Toolkit page on TechNet:http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=217654
• For the latest IT GRC Solution Accelerators, visit the Compliance home page:http://www.microsoft.com/GRC

Thank you for your interest in the development of the Data Classification Toolkit. We look forward to receiving your feedback!

The latest beta release from the Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) team provides organizations with tools to accelerate the adoption of Microsoft private and public cloud platforms.

Download the beta materials on Connect:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=219165

MAP 6.0 Beta: Accelerate the adoption of Microsoft private and public cloud platforms
Planning your journey to the cloud just got a bit easier. The next release of the Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit—version 6.0 Beta—includes assessment capabilities to evaluate workloads for both public and private cloud platforms. With MAP 6.0 Beta, you now have the ability to identify workloads and estimate the infrastructure size and resources needed for both Windows Azure and Hyper-V Fast Track. Also new to MAP 6.0 Beta is the Office 365 client assessment, enhanced VMware inventory, and Oracle schema discovery and reporting. Expanded assessment and discovery capabilities from MAP help you streamline planning for your next migration project. Plan what’s next with MAP.

New features and benefits from MAP 6.0 Beta release help you:

• Analyze your portfolio of applications for a move to the Windows Azure Platform
• Accelerate planning to private cloud with Hyper-V Cloud Fast Track onboarding
• Identify migration opportunities with enhanced heterogeneous server environment inventory
• Assess your client environment for Office 365 readiness
• Determine readiness for migration to Windows Internet Explorer 9
• Discover Oracle database schemas for migration to SQL Server

Tell us what you think!
We value your input. Download the beta on Connect and tell us what you think! Send your comments to the MAP team:MAPfdbk@microsoft.com.

Availability
This program is now open. The beta review period will run through mid-July, 2011.

Tell your friends
To join the beta review program for Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit 6.0, visit Microsoft Connect:http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=219168

Learn more

• Visit the MAP home page:http://www.microsoft.com/map
• Please send constructive feedback to the MAP team:MAPfdbk@microsoft.com
• Get the latest news straight from the MAP team:http://blogs.technet.com/mapblog

MAP works with the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit and Security Compliance Manager to help you plan, securely deploy, and manage new Microsoft technologies —easier, faster, and at less cost. Learn more athttp://www.microsoft.com/solutionaccelerators.

Thank you for your interest in the development of the MAP Toolkit. We look forward to receiving your feedback!

Sincerely,

Solution Accelerators MAP Team
Microsoft Corporation

Follow Solution Accelerators on Twitter to get the latest tips and updates:@MSSolutionAccel

System Center Orchestrator is the next release of what was formerly called Opalis. 

It is a radical departure from the original codebase which was built in a combination of Java/JBOSS and Open Source components.  Rewritten to leverage .NET and Silverlight in particular for console activities and designed against Microsoft’s Common Engineering criteria, this promises to be a refined product with great opportunity for datacenters looking to automate processes reliably and securely.

A listing of all the changes made in the BETA are available here:

http://blogs.technet.com/b/scorch/archive/2011/05/17/what-to-expect-in-the-system-center-orchestrator-beta.aspx

Microsoft Corporate Vice President Robert Wahbe delivered the opening keynote this morning at Microsoft Tech-Ed North America 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. During his talk, Wahbe outlined how the cloud is changing IT and demonstrated how Microsoft and Windows Azure are helping customers move their businesses to the cloud. One of the examples he used was Travelocity; their story is worth delving into because it illustrates the benefits a move to the cloud can create for an organization.

Founded in 1996, Travelocity is an online travel agency that connects millions of travelers with airlines, hotels, car-rental companies, and other services. In March 2010, business partners asked Travelocity to collect website metrics on customer shopping patterns. Travelocity decided to deploy the application in the cloud to avoid burdening its own data center.

Travelocity uses Windows Azure to provide compute power and storage for its business intelligence and analysis system. In doing so, it avoids burdening the capacity of its on-premises infrastructure, Thanks to cloud computing, Travelocity has fulfilled its partners’ requests for a system that collects metrics on customer interactions.

The company is also experiencing a shift in how it manages its development efforts. Because Microsoft manages the servers, configuration, and maintenance, Travelocity is able to build and deploy applications on a per-month subscription basis. It reduces costs while reaching its large customer base.

The company also benefits from the enormous scalability offered by Windows Azure, which ensures that customers from around the world can access Travelocity’s services reliably. Plus, because of a faster time-to-market and a flexible development environment, the company can experiment with new offerings and enhance the customer experience.

Click here to watch Wahbe’s opening keynote. Click here to read more about today’s announcements. You can read the Travelocity case study here.

[taken from Windows Azure Team Blog]

LCDS version 2.7 is now live! The Microsoft Learning Content Development System (LCDS) is a free tool that enables the Microsoft Learning community to create high-quality, interactive, online courses and Microsoft Silverlight Learning Snacks.

The LCDS allows anyone in the Microsoft Learning community to publish e-learning courses and Learning Snacks by completing the easy-to-use LCDS forms that seamlessly generate highly customized content, interactive activities, quizzes, games, assessments, animations, demos, and other multimedia.

With the LCDS, the Microsoft Learning community can:

• Develop and deliver content quickly, while it is timely and relevant.
• Deliver web content that conforms to SCORM 1.2, and which can be hosted in a learning management system.
• Upload or attach existing content. (LCDS supports multiple file formats.)
• Choose from a wide variety of forms for authoring rich e-learning content and Silverlight-based interactive components.
• Develop course structure and easily rearrange it at any time.
• Download sample courses (LCDS must be installed)
• Develop Learning Snacks on Microsoft SnackBox

DOWNLOAD: Microsoft Learning Content Development System (LCDS)
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/training/lcds.aspx#tab1

Buy a PC for college,
get an Xbox 360

Students can buy a PC valued at $699 or more and receive a complimentary Xbox 360 4GB.* Game on.

*Limited time offer valid only on eligible products thru 11:59 PM PT on 9/3/2011 or while supplies last. Requires purchase of a qualifying Windows 7 PC priced $699 or higher from Microsoft Store. Xbox 360 with qualifying purchase is an Xbox 360 4GB. Only available to higher education students with a valid and verifiable .edu email address. Customer will be sent a promo code to the .edu address provided, which may then be used to redeem offer. Not valid on previous orders. Offer cannot be transferred, redeemed for cash or combined with any other offer or promotion. In-store and online offer terms may vary. U.S. residents only. Limit 1 per person.

• GET OFFER PROMO CODE HERE: 
  https://nct.digitalriver.com/fulfill/0295.001?WT.mc_id=email_BM_Grad2_05202011_BuyBtn

As one of the Core Infrastructure specialists covering Mid-Atlantic, I have repeatedly heard the request for more clarification on how best to license Microsoft Servers and System Center in virtualized environments.
Additionally, we discuss the impact of vMotion, Live Migration, disaster recovery, clustering, etc. and the most cost-effective way to license the datacenter.

Please join our Friday Lunch Series where we will be sharing best practices on how to:

• Maximize your savings when licensing Windows Server and System Center in virtual environments
• Simplify and minimize the time you spend on licensing

Our speakers will speakers include:

• Solution Specialist – Michael Van Cleave
• Datacenter Specialist Team
• Luis Botero
• Dwayne Hall
• Todd J. Furst

LINK FOR WEBCAST: 
https://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/WebCastEventDetails.aspx?EventID=1032484529&EventCategory=2&IO=g5LynEd4y%2bVbLNgPUQfhQw%3d%3d&culture=en-US&CountryCode=US

Sign up for our Hands-on Lab Online (HOLO) event today.
Learn about Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT), the recommended process and toolset to automate desktop and server deployment and the Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK), which is designed to help IT professionals deploy the Windows 7 operating system.

Introduction to Deploying Windows 7 Using the Windows Automated Installation Kit: Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) is a collection of tools and documentation that you can use to create system images and automate the deployment of the Windows operating system.

Getting Started with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010: Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 (MDT 2010), the recommended process and toolset to automate desktop and server deployment, provides a common console with the comprehensive tools and guidance needed to efficiently manage deployment of Windows 7.

Zero Touch Installation Using Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 and System Center Configuration Manager: The Zero Touch Installation process requires no interaction during deployment and is fully automated through Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2. We recommend this strategy if your IT organization has experts in deployment, networking, and Configuration Manager 2007 R2 products, and your organization has a managed network with 500 or more client computers.

Join us to learn more!

Date/Time/Registration:
Contact me for details if you are a customer of mine.

What is a HOLO event? It’s an online event where you listen to a live presentation and work on lab exercises. As you work on your labs, Microsoft experts can assist and provide guidance by chatting with you one-on-one or by virtually taking control of your lab.
Sign up soon as registration and seating is limited.

Prerequisites for running the lab:
BEFORE THE EVENT – Check to make sure the virtual lab works on your computer here: http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9770642

• Review system requirements. These system settings are required to run the labs successfully.
• If you have any issues, please contact support.